Obama to Announce Economic Recovery Advisory Board Friday
EmailABC News Jake Tapper and Karen Travers Report:
President Obama will name the members of his Economic Recovery Advisory Board and outline its mission on Friday at the White House.
Former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker will serve as the chairman of the board. Obama economic adviser Austan Goolsbee will serve as staff director and chief economist and act as the primary liaison between the board and the Obama Administration.
Obama announced this board at a press conference on Nov. 26, 2008 in Chicago and said that it is modeled on the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (FISA) board in that it will provide “rigorous analysis and vigorous oversight” as the administration formulates economic policy.
Obama said that day that the board would be composed of individuals outside of government – from business, labor, academia and other areas – and will report regularly to him, Vice President Biden and the economic team.
Why go outside of Washington to find members for this advisory board?
“Fresh perspective,” Obama said, because policymaking in Washington can be “a little bit too ingrown, a little bit too insular.”
“The walls of the echo chamber can sometimes keep out fresh voices and new ways of thinking. You start engaging in groupthink,” Obama said. “And those who serve in Washington don’t always have a ground-level sense of which programs and policies are working for people and businesses, and which aren’t.”
– JAKE TAPPER and KAREN TRAVERS
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Sigh. What do THESE shills get paid? Are THEY hahaha “vetted” in any way? Do any UN-rich individuals get to play?
Goolsbee — one of His Chicago handlers who cut quite a swath during The Puppet’s primary campaign — is the guy who wants to do away with — perhaps DID do away with — the low-income HEATING assistance program LIHEAP. Sooo reassuring.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 5, 2009, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
BTW, Jake, re Gibbs:
WAY TO GO!
I cannot imagine Gibbs is going to sustain in that position for long.
;-)
Posted by: drjohn | February 5, 2009, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
Maybe you should try not be so arrogant and snarky when you ask your questions. Perhaps you didn’t catch Gibb’s sarcasm in reaction to your attitude and tone. Stick to getting the facts and drop the ego.
Posted by: lisa | February 5, 2009, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
Awesome. I wonder if these guys are going to be vetted, because we could really use the extra tax income.
Posted by: BertieW | February 5, 2009, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
I might also add that he needs to stop lugging around that large jug of water.
Posted by: kathy | February 5, 2009, 5:20 pm 5:20 pm
Obama: (slapping his forehead)..DOH
This Homer Simpson lacks any kind of judgement, or leadership abilities to lead this country lmao
Impeach him now and lets get someone that knows what they are doing…Hillary2009
Posted by: DOH-bama Cabinet of Corruption | February 5, 2009, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
Well, Labor and Academia are not where you are going to get good answers. Unions only protect their own and academia is in a bubble where the real world is kept at bay.
If you want to understand the economy and get a fresh perspective on the stimulus package, get a bunch of middle class moms who can explain to Washington the difference between wants and needs.
It only take them a few hours to get this straightened out and most of them will bring some pretty good homemade snacks along to keep the academicians and the Union bosses busy while they work.
Posted by: Roxie | February 5, 2009, 5:33 pm 5:33 pm
It “will” only…
Posted by: Roxie | February 5, 2009, 5:34 pm 5:34 pm
What a Guy, everyone listen to Jake. Right Jake?
Posted by: Thinking | February 5, 2009, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm
So many Obama goofs in so little time.
Wanna bet – Hillary is chuckling?
Posted by: JoseyJ | February 5, 2009, 5:42 pm 5:42 pm
These seems like a good idea, and Volker is a good choice to lead such a task force.
Wouldn’t it have been a good idea to have them in place to help advise on the stimulus bill?
Posted by: MayBee | February 5, 2009, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
If only Obama had spent as much time investigating his nominees as he spent playing basketball during his campaign.
Obama is in over his head – and has never run anything except campaigns! He’s so inexperienced and owned by the Washington establishment that’s forced him to surround himself with Bush and Clinton officials.
And for all his political “mastery” – he’s intentionally given Repubs enough fodder for a decade.
Glad to say this Dem family never drank the Koolaid.
Posted by: Joseyj | February 5, 2009, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm
jake – difficult questions asked with class. well done. you have won an audience member for abc. I look forward to reading/listening to your blog/poscast. please continue.
Posted by: Jeff | February 5, 2009, 8:21 pm 8:21 pm
Obama is certainly right about the groupthink. Maybe we need a new media advisory committee as well.
Posted by: Flash Override | February 5, 2009, 8:21 pm 8:21 pm
Concerned you had no problem voicing your support for tax cheat Sarah Palin. IOKIYAR?
Posted by: Flash Override | February 5, 2009, 8:22 pm 8:22 pm
Talk about Group think….
The entire media… They keep chasing each other for the same useless stories.. When are you people going to start reporting and not be sheep. Get a copy of the stimulus bill and critic, provoke thought, start a discussion. (Do your Job)… Instead you wait to be lead around like sheep by the loud mouth pols and talking heads… SAD… GROUP….
Posted by: Group Think | February 5, 2009, 8:35 pm 8:35 pm
The Internal Revenue Service is trying to collect billions of dollars in unpaid taxes from nearly half a million federal employees. According to IRS records, 171,549 current federal workers did not voluntarily pay their federal income taxes in 2007. The same is true for 37,752 active duty military and nearly 200,000 retired civilian and military personnel. All for a total of $3,586,784,725 in taxes owed.
While Bush was in office, his office the Executive Office of the President, which includes the White House, had 58 employees who did not pay $319,978 in taxes!!
Posted by: JV | February 5, 2009, 9:02 pm 9:02 pm
“The Internal Revenue Service is trying to collect billions of dollars in unpaid taxes from nearly half a million federal employees.”
Well, it doesn’t make much sense for anybody ELSE to pay taxes, if “public” employees don’t have to.
Posted by: K.C. Checks | February 5, 2009, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm
I’m not sure who is enjoying Obama’s first two weeks more–Hillary or George Bush.
Hillary 2012
Posted by: sammy | February 5, 2009, 11:25 pm 11:25 pm
One of the biggest problems in our economy seems to be the lack of credit. Instead of spending billions to by up bad assets, and hope the banks will use this capital to make new loans, why not create a method whereby the government guarantees new loans?
The borrower would have to meet standers set by the government. Banks would be eager to make these loans and generate risk free profits. Interest rates would be lowered because of the lack of risk. Investors would want to buy bundled loans as they are guaranteed. New loans would generate new demand and thereby increase employment.
It seems like a simple solution which would not cost much, as it uses the forces of the market with government assurances.
Posted by: ralph eckhouse | February 6, 2009, 8:52 am 8:52 am
Thank to you intelligent bright blogger in this side
Since the primary the only blog has help me to copE with my stress from,hussein and Obama lover including senator and congress Msnbc. thanks aging keep up the good work
Posted by: nihahs | February 6, 2009, 2:40 pm 2:40 pm